RPG IV

Introduction to Programming and RPG Chapter 1

Objectives:
Describe the history of RPG Describe program variables Describe the types of data files Describe data hierarchy Explain how data is represented on the printer spacing chart Describe the program development cycle

History of RPG
1960: RPG - Report Program Generator Late 1960s: RPG II - With release of System/3 1979: RPG III - Interactive program, Database, Structured Programming 1988: RPG/400 - Upgrade to RPG III 1994: RPG IV - Integrated Language Environment (ILE)

Program Variables
Program variable represents a location in the memory of the computer that can store data. RPG uses the term field rather than variable. Define name, length and data type

Data Files
Transaction files Master files

Data Hierarchy
FILE: is a collection of data about a given kind of entity or object RECORD: is a collection of data about one specific instance of the entity FIELD: is one piece of data on the record. A field generally represents the smallest unit of data that we want to manipulate within a program.

Programming Specifications
Record Layouts - input Processing required - process Printer Spacing Charts - output

Programming Specifications
PSC Notation Meaning
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$XXXX.XX Fixed dollar sign, no zero suppression, no comma. $X,XX0.XX Fixed dollar sign, zero-suppress to unit's place, insert commas. Floating dollar sign, zero-suppress to unit's place, insert commas. No dollar sign or decimal; complete zero suppression. No sign to be displayed. Fixed sign, complete zero suppression. Floating sign, zero-suppress to unit's place. Zero-suppress, trailing negative sign. Zero-suppress, indicate negative value with CR.

$X,XX$.XX

XX0 XXX -XX0 -XX-.XX XX0.XXXX0.XXCR

Program Development Cycle

Define the problem Design the solution Write the program Enter the program Test and debug the program Document the program Maintain the program

Program Entry and Testing

Points to Remember
RPG is a high-level programming language introduced by IBM in the early 1960s to provide an easy way to produce commonly needed business reports. Variables enable programs to process different sets of data. Data is typically organized in a hierarchy of files, records, and fields.